Genesis 22:1-14

June 19, 2017

So tests are not pleasant, but they are normal and they are helpful. How did Abraham’s test help? It forced him to think seriously about where his faith lay. In the past he had taken matters into his own hands – Pharaoh, Hagar and Ishmael, Abimelch, etc. Now God, the giver of the impossible, had demanded the impossible back. Whom would he trust? … More Genesis 22:1-14

Genesis 21:8-21

June 12, 2017

Other times we can find ourselves doing a Sarah – acting out of fear, insecurity and other pretty unflattering motivations, if we are honest. And although God can, and does, redeem our foolish mistakes (and Lord knows I make plenty), the consequences may live on. Sarah didn’t cope well with the consequences of her actions, and Hagar’s distress was the result. … More Genesis 21:8-21

Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a

May 29, 2017

This passage is not a scientific description of how come we have different animals, nor an account of cosmology, of bio-diversity, or of the geological time-line. It is truth about God. It is truth about the world we live in and our place in that world. But it is not scientific, historical truth, and was never intended to be. … More Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a

Acts 2:1-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

May 22, 2017

But the Holy Spirit does not work like that. Gifts are not allocated on a merit-based selection system. If someone has the gift of wisdom, is it not because they deserve it. Nor is someone given the gift of leadership or preaching because they are super-special in some way. It can be hard to separate the person from the ministry, but I think it is important to do so. … More Acts 2:1-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13